As the night wore on, Wes returned, taking a spot on the other side of Abby. It should have been awkward, the three of them in one room, all the history between them. Instead, they took turns coaching Abby, calming and soothing her nerves. At dawn, the contractions increased, and the doctors and nurses descended. It was time.
Lily and Wes held Abby’s hands, her breathing ragged and shallow as she pushed and pushed, screaming and crying and begging for it to be over. She’d refused the drugs. Abby insisted on being clearheaded for this. The baby arrived, just as the sun peered over the horizon. He was wailing loudly, his tiny body contorting as the doctors tended to him.
“It’s a boy, Abby. It’s a baby boy,” Lily said.
Wes wiped furiously at his eyes, smiling so brightly he could have powered New York City.
Abby stared at the baby, and Lily recognized that overwhelming look of love, a love that surpassed all else. Lily realized that at last they were identical yet again, connected by something wonderful. They were both mothers.
The doctor placed the newborn on Abby’s chest. Wes leaned down to kiss the baby. Then he kissed Abby so tenderly Lily thought her heart might break. For a moment, Lily hated her sister with everything in her being. She hated that Abby was fortunate enough to deliver a child in this warm, safe hospital room surrounded by love. She hated herself for hating her sister. She hated a world in which this child might one day be a victim of some sick freak. Lily forced herself to shake off the darkness. He’d programmed this into her, day by day. But here she had a choice—let those feelings overcome her, or fight to keep them at bay.
She kissed Abby and the baby, gave Wes a quick congratulatory hug, and then Lily left the hospital room. She’d told them both that she wanted to see Eve, to let her know that she had a healthy, adorable grandson. But really, Lily needed distance. She needed to see Sky, to remind herself of all the progress they’d made. Abby, Wes, and their baby were a family now. The jealousy still remained, but Lily would fight to overcome it. She had Sky. Sky was her family. That was enough. It had to be enough.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
ABBY
He was real. Seven pounds, three ounces, with a pair of lungs that could break the sound barrier. He wasn’t an alien invader. Not anymore. He was so damn real and breathtakingly gorgeous Abby almost couldn’t bear it. She didn’t want to love him. She’d tried so hard not to love him. Life would be easier if she didn’t. Life would be easier if she never loved anyone ever again.
But he was here, and he was… fucking perfect. Tiny pink toes. Tiny pink fingers. Those miniature fingernails. Bright gray eyes like Wes’s and a tuft of blond hair. Abby was like a crazy person, crying uncontrollably. They weren’t lying when they said hormones made you spin out of control. She was a mess.
Her mom came by, oohing and aahing over her grandson, but she’d left with Lily and Sky, promising to return in the morning. Abby was secretly relieved when they were gone. She wanted more time alone with her baby.
That wasn’t entirely true. She wanted time alone with Wes and their baby. He hadn’t left her side, and at the moment, he was sitting on the bed beside her, his arm touching hers, as they stared down at their son. She couldn’t believe she’d ever considered giving her baby away. The thought of him being gone for even a second was impossible to consider. The thought of anything ever happening to him was, well, it was the most terrifying thing she could imagine.
“What should we call him?” Wes asked, gently rubbing Abby’s back.
She instinctively leaned into his touch. Her back was aching and the slow, repetitive motion soothed her.
“I was thinking David Joseph. After our fathers.”
Wes stared at the infant, his tiny hands clenched in fists. He gently kissed the baby, as if blessing him.
“David Joseph it is.”
Abby imagined how proud her own father would have been. He’d have marched up and down the halls, telling his colleagues, each nurse and doctor he passed, about his grandson, taking endless photos and posting them for his entire social network to see. He’d have loved being a grandfather. Abby closed her eyes, fighting back the sadness that had washed over her. Wes leaned in closer.
“I want David to have what I didn’t have. I want him to have a family. We can do it, Abby. I know we can. We can move away from all the shit and the pain and the sadness that Rick Hanson caused, and we can be happy.”
David began to wail, as if in agreement. She turned to Wes, staring at him, searching and seeing what she had missed all these years. She had been so blind, ignoring his devotion, his complete and total devotion. He loved her. Why had she never noticed it? He loved her. Abby leaned over and kissed him. It was crazy, but maybe he was right. Maybe they could be happy. I tried everything else, she thought, why the hell not try this?
CHAPTER FORTY
LILY
Let’s hire a fucking firing squad and call it a day,” Abby said.